My Depression Story

It’s been a long time since I last wrote anything on this website.  I’ve been too busy at work to live life.  This has caused many problems that I will soon share. I am happy to be back. 

Now it is time to start picking up the pieces of a life ignored.  I am redefining my goals and will soon be ready to share my story and my daily struggles and my occasional triumphs.  Watch this site over the next few weeks.

The DailyStrength.org website was recently mentioned in the Yahoo! Depression-Anxiety Group as a decent online support group.  Someone did complain that their information  they posted on their DailyStrength.org personal home page was publicly searchable with Google.  I just barely registered for the service, so I haven’t verified the claim of the Google search.  After I have spent some time with the service, I will post a review.

http://dailystrength.org/

I have been finding a number of self-help websites that help people deal with depression and anxiety.  Here are a few of them:

• MySelfHelp.com
  • I highly recommend this interactive self-help tool that uses cognitive behavioral therapy to assist the user in dealing with his problems.  I’ve been using it now for a month, and it has already helped me improve my sleeping patterns.  The depression section is good, but it doesn’t seem to be as well developed as the “Conquer Insomnia” section.  There is a journal, sleep diary, calendar, medicine tracker, depression log, stress table, and many other interactive tools.
• Robert F. Sarmiento’s Cyber Psychologist
  • This site has some helpful information, but seems to contain the standard helps found elsewhere.  It is a completely non-interactive website. Even so, I really found the section on Therapy Goals to be very useful.

Currently, I maintain two blogs for My Depression Story.  I don’t know which to continue supporting.  I have one on WordPress, where I get more visitors.  I have this one on my own webhost, where I don’t get any visitors.  I don’t want to duplicate every entry.   The only advantage of having it on WordPress.com is the number of visitors.  There are a lot more advantages with having it on my own webhost, since I can customize everything, add plugins, modify the database, etc.  Maybe I need to find a way to draw visitors to MyDepressionStory.com and abandon the WordPress.com blog.

This is a list of the websites and articles that I wish to examine.  I haven’t evaluated them, so some may be good, others may suck. Not sure. That’s why I want to check them out.  If I don’t like one, I’ll remove it from the list.  Once I’ve looked at a site, I’ll put it on my Del.icio.ous feed.

http://amoryn.com/index.html
http://bipolarhead.com/
http://blog.beliefnet.com/beyondblue/2006/12/my-story-so-far.html
http://buddhism.kalachakranet.org/depression.html
http://christianwomentoday.com/stories_anxietyanddepression/
http://consultantlive.com/topic/Depression/
http://depression.about.com/
http://depression.about.com/od/truestories/True_Stories_of_Depression.htm
http://depression.healthdiaries.com/
http://depressionbookstore.com/
http://digg.com/health/Criteria_for_Depression_Are_Too_Broad_Researchers_Say
http://eqi.org/index.htm
http://griefnet.org/
http://health.msn.com/centers/depression/
http://health.msn.com/centers/mentalhealth/stress.aspx
http://home.avvanta.com/~charlatn/depression/Depression.html
http://living-with-depression.best-depression-blogs.com/2972/
http://mydepressionvictory.com/blog/
http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/index.dtl
http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20040206-000001.html
http://suicidal.com/siteindex/feelings.html
http://superviva.com/about.success.stories.php
http://support4hope.com/depression/index.htm
http://talentdevelop.com/depression.html
http://www.3-minute-depression-cure.com
http://www.4therapy.com/consumer/conditions/item.php?uniqueid=7014&categoryid=40
http://www.abilitymagazine.com/interview_drliberman.html
http://www.accomplishlife.com/categories/Depression/
http://www.allaboutdepression.com/index.html
http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/Coping-With-Depression.htm
http://www.alternativemedicines.tv/condition_451.html
http://www.alternet.org/story/15304/
http://www.asch.net/
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/110degrees/182680
http://www.beatmydepression.com/
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/
http://www.bipolarhappens.com/
http://www.breadcasters.org/
http://www.calm.com.au/pages/02depression.shtml
http://www.careplace.com/
http://www.changinglivesonline.org/
http://www.changinglivesonline.org/erinpoems.html
http://www.christian-depression.org/cdp/testimony/story.php
http://www.connexions-direct.com/index.cfm?pid=228&catalogueContentID=541
http://www.crazymeds.org/
http://www.creatingfutures.net/depression.html
http://www.cure-your-depression.com/
http://www.cure-your-depression.com/depression_story.html
http://www.cyberpsych.com/
http://www.depressedanon.com/
http://www.depression-guide.com/
http://www.depression-guide.com/index.htm
http://www.depression-primarycare.co.uk/
http://www.depression-recovery-life.com/
http://www.depression.50megs.com/
http://www.depression.oldguy.us/about.php
http://www.depression.org.nz/
http://www.depression.org.uk/
http://www.depressionalliance.org/docs/community/your_story.html
http://www.depressionalliance.org/shop/products/software/bluesbegone/
http://www.depressiondays.com/mystory.html
http://www.depressiondoctor.com/
http://www.depressionet.com.au/
http://www.depressionism.net/
http://www.depressionissues.com/
http://www.depressiontreatmentnow.com/
http://www.emofree.com/Depression/depression-anxiety-greg.htm
http://www.escapefromdepression.com/
http://www.exmormon.org/whylft118.htm
http://www.exmormon.org/whylft56.htm
http://www.experiencejournal.com/depression/index.shtml
http://www.experienceproject.com/
http://www.faithfoo.com/
http://www.fortunechildbooks.com/wisdom/boundlessjoy.htm
http://www.fromthepit.net/
http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/67993/13005
http://www.healingfromdepression.com/bloch-hell-toc.htm
http://www.healingfromdepression.com/my-story.htm
http://www.healthdiaries.com/depression.htm
http://www.healthyhomeopathy.com/pr_default.htm
http://www.hopeway.org/lifehelps/hlp4dep.asp
http://www.howtobeatdepression.com/story.htm
http://www.jaredstory.com/
http://www.journey-to-success.com/depression.html
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2005/5/16/81428/8007
http://www.ldsdepression.com/
http://www.lifeassess.org/depression/story.htm
http://www.lifescript.com/channels/well_being/index.asp
http://www.maledepression.com/index.php
http://www.maledepression.info/
http://www.mdsg.org/inthenews2001.html
http://www.meditationiseasy.com/tips/depression/index.php
http://www.menalive.com/default.htm
http://www.mental-health-matters.com/
http://www.mentalhealthministries.net/
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/center_index.php?id=353&cn=353/
http://mhchat.org/
http://www.mhsanctuary.com/depression/story.htm
http://www.mindyourmind.ca/
http://www.moodswing.org/index.php
http://www.mydepressioncures.com/
http://www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?article=2813
http://www.nacronline.com/dox/library/depress.shtml
http://www.nakedmedicine.com/
http://www.option.org/personal_challenges/overcoming_depression.php
http://www.psycheducation.org/mechanism/MechanismIntro.htm
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/
http://www.psychic-experiences.com/real-psychic-story.php?story=64
http://www.psychologies.co.uk/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/topics/depression.html
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html
http://www.psyke.org/
http://www.radpsynet.org/journal/vol5/Liebert-Gavey.html
http://www.ragingpistachio.co.uk/depression/
http://www.psychocomic.com/ezin2002/Ezine2002-01.htm
http://www.reiki.org/
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/mental-behavioral-health/depression/?msc=A16932
http://www.searpubl.ca/depres.html
http://www.selfsteps.com/aff.htm?id=shezz
http://www.serotoninpowerstories.com/
http://www.sexetc.org/story/emotional_health/2041
http://www.shadowvoices.com/
http://www.sleepapnea.org/info/patient/bobstory.html
http://www.somazone.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=175
http://www.squidoo.com/i_beat_depression/
http://www.stopbadtherapy.com/index.shtml
http://www.stresscenter.com/
http://www.stressdoc.com/
http://www.studentdepression.co.uk/site/index.php?page_id=71
http://www.teamministries.us/kerrie-loneliness-depression.htm
http://www.testingdepression.com/category/feelings-and-emotions/
http://www.the-bright-side.org/site/thebrightside/
http://www.thehealingbridge.org/authors/jonah_whitely/jonah_whitely.html
http://www.thementallyillmentor.com/
http://www.thesamscenter.com/
http://www.thubtenchodron.org/PrisonDharma/vanishing_depression_and_anxiety.html
http://www.topix.net/health/depression
http://www.troubledwith.com/lifepressures/Depression.cfm
http://www.ulifeline.org/page/main/Home.html
http://www.universeofpower.com/building_your_power/depression/
http://www.upliftprogram.com/stories.html
http://www.usmagazine.com/sarah_silverman
http://www.walkers.org/
http://www.zimbio.com/Depression
http://your-health-center.com/isdepression/?id=shezz
https://www.pastors.com/RWMT/article.asp?ArtID=4767

http://del.icio.us/MyDepressionStory

Well, I just updated this website to MistyLook 3.3.1.  Dropped in without any problems.

Soon I will update to the latest version of the WordPress theme, MistyLook.  It is now at 3.3. It apparently fixes a couple of issues.

http://wpthemes.info/posts/2007/05/25/mistylook-33/

• How are Serotonin and Norepinephrine related to depression?
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy
• Relationship between Sleep and Depression
• What research is being done currently?
• What is my experience with depression?
• What therapies have worked for me in battling depression?
• What books about depression are useful and informative?
• Which self-help therapies work?
• Medications
• Symptom and Mood Tracking
• What are my triggers?
• Stress and Depression
• What are the long term effects of using medication?
• How effective is computer-based or online therapy?
• How effective is therapy with an online psychologist?
• How do you run and maintain your life while depressed?
• What can I do to prevent or reduce the number of depressive episodes?
• How effective are group therapies in treating depression?
• How effective is mindful therapy?
• How efficacious is neuro-feedback for treating depression?
• How does the spouse of a depressed person feel?
• What can the spouse do to assist a depressed person?
• Genetic predisposition?  What role does heredity play?  Does the behavior of parents play a stronger role in predisposing one for depression?
• What belief windows or values influence your distorted thinking?
• What screening methods are best?  What are their flaws?  How can they be improved?
• Most screening methods are reflective of symptoms that occurred over the past 1 or 2 weeks.  Is there a screening method that measures symptoms daily?  Would such an instrument create more cognitive distortions that aggravate the depression?

Of course, I will also be adding my own experiences with depression.